


Finding Home

by RackOnInNC



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-01
Updated: 2013-04-01
Packaged: 2017-12-07 03:37:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/743753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RackOnInNC/pseuds/RackOnInNC
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One-Shot - Castiel managed to disappear after the whole Leviathan/God debacle.  He was trying to stay as far away from Dean as possible.  Of course that wasn't going to last.</p><p>No slash, not even a cuss word to require a rating.  Just Cas and Dean being Cas and Dean.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Finding Home

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this just after Castiel disappeared into the Lake, so Season 7 mostly didn't happen after Bobby died for the purposes of this fic. Also mentions Charlie Bradbury.

Castiel pushed in the clutch and shifted the car into reverse.  It felt strange to have learned to drive, but he was trying very hard to pass for human now.  Zapping around was out of the question for more than the obvious reasons.  Heaven was most certainly on the lookout for any trace of him, so in the absence of wings a car was pretty much a necessity.  Stranger still was learning to do it without Dean.  As the car began to move Castiel checked his mirrors and pulled out of his parking space, shifting through the gears and weaving expertly between the people trying to get to their own cars at the end of the day.  He huffed in irritaion as he encountered the slow drivers that Dean would be cussing at.  Castiel had so far resisted the urge to cuss at them, but something about role playing a human made him want to at times.  
  
There were many times he wished Dean could see him driving and working and watching the movies Dean liked.  Many times his finger had lingered too long on Dean’s number when he pulled out his phone.  He never made the call though.  Dean thought he was dead, and that’s the way it needed to remain.  He wasn’t even sure why he kept transferring the number to new phones…it probably wasn’t even the right one now anyway after more than two years.  
  
The Leviathans were gone.  Dean and Sam had seen to that after Dick Roman shot Bobby.  It wasn’t like he was spying on his former friends, but he made sure he knew what was happening in their lives as much as he could.  It was easy enough with a few well placed phone calls funneled through many intermediaries.  He only hoped that his informants kept their mouths shut as promised, since wiping their memories was a big no-no as well. The last thing he wanted was for Dean to come looking for him, but he had to know if they were OK.  He had caused enough pain to the Winchesters for one lifetime.  
  
After parking the car and gathering his things from the back seat, Castiel entered his apartment and collapsed on the couch.  His work at the university in the Linguistics department was enjoyable most days, but today had been particularly trying…too many students clamoring for advice before finals and too many papers to grade.   Professor Williams he was to them…Robert Williams.  
  
When he chose the name he wanted to find one that was so common that it would difficult for anyone looking to find him.  His face was enough of a red flag after the whole God debacle, but he was usually able to explain it away as a distant cousin with schizophrenia.  That explained the raving God complex and the similarity in appearance to most people’s satisfaction.  Probably the only people it wouldn’t fool were Dean and Sam, but Castiel hoped that by choosing a place as far away from their usual haunts as possible he would be safe.  Chapel Hill, North Carolina seemed to be a good place.  Not many supernatural events in the area and a large campus where he could be relatively invisible.   
  
A drink and a quick game of Words with Friends was usually his first task upon returning home.  Just a way to clear his mind for a bit before wading into the stack of papers that followed him everywhere these days.  Unfortunately he had to work at getting anyone to play him on Words with Friends since his encyclopedic knowledge of words made him nearly unbeatable.  The few that did win just got lucky with good letters at the right time.  
  
Castiel requested a random game and poured a glass of Laphroaig with a splash of water while he waited for the game.  He didn’t have expensive tastes, but somehow the peaty taste of this particular Scotch had taken hold of him one night at a faculty ball and he made the one indulgence to always have some around.  The name _PosseMagnet_ popped up on screen with _demon_ as the first word.  Castiel laughed and tried to think why that screen name would be familiar, but since he played so often it was probably just someone he had played before.  Although several better scoring words were possible with his rack he decided to play the obvious… _angel_.  
  
Castiel tapped a message into the chat window.  _Interesting start.  GL!_ There was no reply, but the next word took him a minute to digest.  _Knife_ played off the _n_ in _demon._   Castiel looked at his rack and saw that the only word he had to play was _blades_ played off the _a_ in _angel._ He stared at the board and wondered if this game was trying to send a message.  When his opponent played _emf_ as the next word he dropped the phone and sat back on the couch.  
  
 _Possemagnet_ wasn’t someone he had played before.  It had to be Dean.  Suddenly he remembered hearing Sam and Dean arguing about how awesome “I’m a Posse Magnet” would be on a t-shirt when they returned from the past without the Phoenix ashes.  He tried to imagine Dean even wanting to play Words with Friends.  Sam yes…Dean?  Not something Castiel could imagine him doing, but the words and the screen name were just too much of a coincidence.  His screen name wasn’t going to raise any red flags with Dean though, so he relaxed and played the rest of the game, avoiding using anymore supernatural related words.  A few more popped up from the other side though.  _Shotgun, salt, sigil,_ and _arid_ all made appearances and Castiel grew increasingly worried that someone had told Dean where he was.  Those people he had relied on to keep track of the Winchesters wouldn’t know his screen name though…and it was a random game so what were the chances?  
  
When the game was over and Castiel had won, he did not tempt fate and ask for a rematch.  Deep down he felt conflicted, enjoying knowing that he was possibly interacting with Dean after so long, but still not wanting to let Dean know he was alive.  It didn’t matter though since _Possemagnet_ asked for a rematch.   He considered declining, but decided that that would make Dean suspicious if it was indeed him.  The message in the chat window when he went to look at the new game gave him pause.  
  
 _GG.  Where you from?_ Castiel hesitated a moment before replying.  If Dean did know it was him somehow he should lie, but even now he didn’t want to add to the pile of lies that had ended their friendship in the first place.  Castiel longed for the small touch of Grace it would take to figure out if it was Dean, but that would ping all over Heaven like a beacon.  Hesitantly he replied.   _North Carolina_ _, USA_.  And U?  He played his next word and waited.  He gulped the rest of the glass of Scotch in one go when the reply came.  _ATM I also happen 2bn NC. Travel a lot w/ my job.  
  
_ Castiel laid the phone down on the coffee table and rubbed his face with his hands.  North Carolina covered 53,000 square miles though, so if Dean was nearby it was either the biggest twist of fate in the history of the universe or Dean was actually looking for him.  Again though, it was a random game so how could it be?   He played his next word and tapped in a reply.  _Oh?  What do U do 4 a living?_ Castiel knew he was tempting fate, but there really was no way out at this point other than to see where it went.  
  
He waited for a bit and no words or messages were forthcoming, so he got up and went to fix himself something to eat.  He didn’t need to of course, but he tried to act as human as possible even when he was sure no one could see him.  Just as he bit into the sandwich on his plate he heard the notification tone and looked at the screen.  _Pest_ _control_ _and U?_   Castiel closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  Pest control was a euphemism the brothers often used to refer to hunting.  He replied.   _I teach._  Words flew back and forth for the next few minutes and after Castiel played _oil_ the next word that his opponent played was _holy._ Then a new message came.  _I’m n Raleigh.  That close enough we could meet up for a drink?  
  
_ Castiel stood up and started pacing back and forth.  This person was less than 30 miles away.  What if it was Dean?  What if it wasn’t?  Maybe it was a demon or angel with an axe to grind just playing him to see if he would rise to the bait?  A supernatural being could have manipulated the game to make that random game pop up, knowing that he played a lot because they had been spying on him without his knowledge. They would also know all the words that had been played.  There was just the screen name that had his thoughts going back to Dean.  
  
Castiel made up his mind.  Dean or something else…he had to find out, if only to make sure that he wasn’t being watched by something dangerous.  He tapped out a reply, but decided to mask his location slightly just in case. _Don’t normally meet up with random strangers, but am n Durham.  Could meet U somewhere public?_ Castiel waited and no reply was forthcoming for a bit.  When it finally came he jumped slightly _.  Meet n the middle?  4 Corners n Chapel Hill?  
  
_ Close enough to walk.  Either someone knew something or fate was still toying with him.  He decided to drive anyway.  That way he could hopefully find a parking place and watch to see who entered the place before he went in.  He tapped in a reply before going to his room to change clothes.  If there was one thing he didn’t want to be wearing when Dean saw him it was a tie.  _Will b there in 30 min.  
  
_ Castiel opened his closet and looked at his scant choices.  He didn’t go out much so it was mostly shirts, slacks and ties for school and a few pairs of jeans for around the house.  He chose his best pair of jeans and a blue button down shirt.  Once dressed he made his way back to the car and got in.  What would Dean think of his taste in cars?  
  
Once he was out on Franklin Street he had to circle the block a few times to find a place to park, but managed to catch someone leaving the space just across the street from the restaurant.  He settled in to wait, his ears listening for the tale tell sound of the Impala’s engine and his eyes fixed firmly on the door.  He nervously checked his jeans pocket for the tiny silver knife he always carried and the flask of holy water.  Even if it did appear to be Dean he couldn’t be too careful.  
  
He didn’t have long to wait as he heard the unmistakable sound of the Impala coming from behind him…from the wrong direction if Dean had indeed been in Raleigh.  It was also too soon for him to have driven that far unless he happened to be on his way when he sent the last message.  Castiel tensed and waited as the Impala passed him and parked across the street.  He took a deep breath and held it as the man inside got out and looked around.  Dean.  He cringed as Dean’s eyes settled on his car.  Someone _had_ been spying on him. Now to find out if the face belonged to the man or a monster.  
  
Castiel slowly got out as Dean approached and turned to face him.  
  
“Hello, Dean.”  
  
“Cas.”  
  
They both shifted awkwardly and Castiel hesitated before reaching into his pocket and handing Dean the knife.  
  
“You think I might not be me?  Come on Cas.  It’s me.”  
  
“I can’t be too careful.”  
  
“True.”  Dean took the knife and pulled it across his arm and then handed it back.  “Your turn.”  
  
Castiel winced as he pulled the knife across his own arm and resisted the urge to heal it.  Dean looked at him questioningly and then splashed holy water on both of them.  They both just stood there for a second and then Dean enveloped him in a huge hug.  Castiel stiffened and then relaxed, returning the hug as if it had been waiting inside him for all of his existence…it probably had.  
  
Castiel withdrew from the hug reluctantly and looked up at Dean somberly.  “Dean, I’m so sor…”  
  
“No Cas….no apologies.  What’s done is done. That cut isn’t healing.  Does that mean you are human now?”  
  
Castiel quickly looked around to see if anyone was within earshot, but no one appeared to be interested in their conversation.   He decided to play it safe anyway. “No, I’m still…me.  I just can’t risk using my um…abilities.  My former employer does not know where I am, nor do I want them to. 

Deam nodded knowingly and motioned for him to continue. 

Castiel decided to ask the obvious question.  “But how did you find me?  I was so careful.  I didn’t want to put you in any more danger.”  
  
“Our new friend Charlie got wind of someone keeping track of us and did some digging because we were afraid it might be a Leviathan we hadn’t ganked.   She traced it to somewhere here or in Virginia, and by someone near a University.  Sam came up with the idea that it might be you since your knowledge would be good for teaching or research, so we started looking for faculty that had just popped up out of nowhere.  Several names came up so I’ve been tracking all of them down for the last year.  Your alias was the last one on the list.”  
  
Castiel smiled and marveled at the fact that he had been the last one they looked for. “The random Words with Friends game?”  
  
“That wasn’t so easy.  Charlie managed to hack the server and was able to set it up so I could do that and forced the same letters into the game every time. Took a while though.  It seemed strange to us that almost everyone we were tracking down liked to play the game, so we used that to figure out if they were who we were looking for without raising suspicion.”  
  
“It’s very popular.”  
  
“Yeah, I don’t know why though…I don’t like it much.”  
  
“That’s because you suck if you’ve been playing the same letters over and over for months and still can’t win.”  Castiel grinned at Dean and then looked away.  
  
Dean looked at Castiel for a moment as if he were surprised by the grin and then grinned back.  “Yeah I do suck, but then winning was never my goal.  Maybe we can try again for real sometime?”  
  
Castiel’s eyes wandered to the Impala.  “Perhaps.  I’m glad you are able to drive her again.  I’m sorry my actions caused you to have to abandon her.”  
  
“Like I said…no apologies.   We all screwed up. That’s the Winchester way.”  
  
“Apparently, but I’m not a Winchester.”  
  
“Yes you are, but we need to talk about your taste in cars dude.  Seriously?  A Mustang?”  
  
Castiel turned to look at his car and shrugged.  “It’s a convertible.  It feels like…”  
  
Dean shot a confused look at Cas and then the light went on.  “Like flying?”  
  
“Aw Cas.”  Dean gathered him into another hug and his voice broke as he continued.  “Cas I don’t care what you drive…just please come home?”


End file.
